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Particle vs Tuya Smart

Particle logo

Particle

Smart Home

Edge-to-cloud IoT platform for connected devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tuya Smart logo

Tuya Smart

Smart Home

Global IoT platform powering thousands of smart devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Particle paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200; Tuya Smart no pricing information available on website; users directed to contact sales directly
  • They diverge on capability: Particle covers Device OS, Tuya Smart covers Device SDK.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Particle and Tuya Smart actually diverge.

Attributes where Particle and Tuya Smart differ
AttributeParticleTuya Smart
PlatformsParticle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile appsIOS, Android, Web, Hardware modules
Founded20132014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Particle

  • Device OS
  • Device Management
  • OTA Updates
  • REST API
  • WebHooks
  • Integration marketplace
  • 3rd party services
  • Particle devices support

Only in Tuya Smart

  • Device SDK
  • White-Label App
  • AI Features
  • Alexa
  • Google Home
  • SmartThings
  • Custom integrations
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Cloud Platform

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Particle

  • Connecting cellular and wifi IoT devices to a managed cloud platformnot Tuya Smart
  • Deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scalenot Tuya Smart

Tuya Smart

  • Smart product developmentnot Particle
  • White-label solutionsnot Particle
  • OEM IoTnot Particle
  • Connected appliancesnot Particle

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Particle

  • Paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
  • The Basic block is $299 a month and the Plus block $599 a month
  • The free tier allows 100 devices and 100,000 data operations a month
  • Data operations are the billing unit, so chatty firmware costs more than the device count suggests
  • No overage rates are published at any tier, so exceeding an allowance has no stated cost

Tuya Smart

  • No pricing information available on website; users directed to contact sales directly
  • IoT platform pricing model not disclosed publicly

Pricing, plan by plan

Particle

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 5 free devices
    • Cloud access
    • Basic features
  • Production$100/month
    • Unlimited devices
    • Advanced analytics
    • Enterprise support

Tuya Smart

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Basic cloud
    • Device management
    • Standard features
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • White-label
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Particle if

  • You need device os.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
  • You also want device management.
Particle review

Choose Tuya Smart if

  • You need device sdk.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android, Web, Hardware modules.
  • You also want white-label app.
Tuya Smart review

Questions people ask

Is Particle or Tuya Smart better?
Neither clearly leads. Particle starts at Free and Tuya Smart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Particle or Tuya Smart?
Particle starts at Free and Tuya Smart at Free.
Does Particle or Tuya Smart run on more platforms?
Particle runs on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps. Tuya Smart runs on IOS, Android, Web, Hardware modules.
Can I use Particle for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Particle best used for?
Particle is most often used for connecting cellular and wifi iot devices to a managed cloud platform, deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scale. Of those, connecting cellular and wifi iot devices to a managed cloud platform and deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scale are not what Tuya Smart is typically brought in for.
What can Particle do that Tuya Smart cannot?
Particle covers Device OS, Device Management, OTA Updates, REST API. Tuya Smart covers Device SDK, White-Label App, AI Features, Alexa. Both handle Cloud Platform.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Particle: What are the Particle pricing tiers and their costs?

Particle offers Free ($0, 100 devices, 100K Data Operations/month), Basic ($299/month per block), Plus ($599/month per block), Professional (custom pricing), and Enterprise (custom pricing). Each block supports 100 devices.

Source
Tuya Smart: How do I get pricing for Tuya IoT platform?

Tuya pricing is not published on their website. Contact Tuya directly via phone (844-672-5646), email ([email protected]), or through their contact form to request a pricing quote and demo.

Source
Particle: What is a Data Operation and how is it charged?

A Data Operation is Particle's billing unit for user-controlled activities. One operation is charged per device-to-cloud message, cloud-to-device message, Location Fusion call, Ledger sync, or Logic function run. Network transmission and management tasks are included at no additional cost.

Source
Particle: What location data retention does each tier provide?

Location data retention ranges from 3 days in the Free tier up to 6+ months in Professional and Enterprise tiers.

Source
Particle: Are there additional costs for support or single sign-on?

Premium support and SSO are available as optional add-ons to all Particle plans. The pricing page does not specify the cost of these add-ons.

Source
Particle: Is there a minimum contract length or can I cancel anytime?

The Particle pricing page does not specify a minimum contract length, suggesting monthly billing without long-term lock-in.

Source
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